Tech Gadgets Reviews

You got to give credit to these guys who have such sharp eyes that they can see even the smallest details of approval documents coming to the FCC. These guys must have really sharp eyes or the FCC is intentionally disregarding confidentiality of information with regards to documents submitted to them by manufacturers seeking their approval.  Thus, we keep on discovering information about new devices even before they are released for official announcement by their manufacturers.

The latest of these FCC sightings is an entry bearing the mark OZ2, and the manufacturer happens to be Pantech, who is the maker of the Helio Ocean. The Ocean had the same mark when it its prototype was submitted before the FCC prior to its release as Helio Ocean. Naturally, we can’t help but deduce that this FCC entry is for Helio Ocean 2.

According to the picture accompanying the document at the FCC site, OZ2 would have a camera, Bluetooth, microSD below the battery slot, and it is definitely made by Pantech. These features are also found in the original Helio Ocean. Aside from this, there’s nothing much to see about this alleged Ocean 2 from the FCC entry.

The Helio Ocean may not be the most advanced mobile phone when it was released, but it had the distinction of being the first phone with dual slider. We’ll see if Pantech would come up with something better and more innovative in Ocean 2, granting that the FCC documents were indeed for Ocean 2. With the current crop of high-end mobile phones today, a touch-screen feature seems to be the only way to go for the Helio Ocean’ successor.

Via [Heliocity]

Keep up with the latest gadget goodness! - Subscribe to our feed →

Programming has never been my forte. While I can do enough HTML to put together a very basic website, however, I couldn’t code my way out of a wet paper bag. Now had this board game been out when I was younger, that might be a different story.

The C-jump Computer Programming Board Game teaches kids 11 and up the basics of C, C++ and Java coding. The “game helps to develop understanding of a complete computer program, formed by logical sequences of commands.”

Some people push their kids into singing or dancing when they are kids, so why not push them into programming? No word on pricing or availability.

Source: GearFuse

Walter L. Wagner and Luis Sancho of Hawaii seem to have been smoking too much stuff lately. I’m saying this because on March 21, they filed a lawsuit in a district court in Honolulu, Hawaii against the European Center for Nuclear Research or CERN. This lawsuit seeks to place a temporary restraining order on CERN’s latest and greatest project ever: the Large Hadron Collider. And what is it that the L. H. C. does, you ask? Oh, nothing. It just recreates the Big Bang. You know, that awesome explosion that started the Universe?

For those that don’t know (or haven’t read Dan Brown’s Angels & Demons), a large hadron collider has the ability to supercharge protons up to seven trillion electron volts and then afterwards let them collide to recreate the energies and conditions resulting from a “Big Bang.” CERN aims to further understand these forces and presumably apply them for the good of mankind, but the two concerned complainants are worried about something else occurring in the aftermath: black holes that could quite possibly eat up the earth, and even the whole universe. What?

CERN says it has done a lot of previous testing and can attest to the L. H. C.’s complete harmlessness. And the Safety Assessment Group was even set up to do another anonymous review of the said project last year. But still, Wagner and Sancho won’t give up easily, even though the party they are trying to shut down is at least a few thousand miles away, in Geneva, Switzerland.

Now I know most people would have mixed views regarding this matter, but judging from the popularity of Sci-Fi pop culture movies and the like, I think more people would agree with the complainant’s arguments, at least at first. And from what most of us were taught back when we first learned of it, isn’t a Big Bang supposed to naturally cause a black hole to appear anyway? I’m no Physics major, but judging from the facts, I think it’s quite safe to say that there really will be a black hole after the blast. But then again, people at CERN say that there should be absolutely no cause for panic, as the large hadron collider is tested to be problem-free (both by in-house physicists and trusted third-party experts). But for now, no one can say for sure what the effects will be after this projects is initiated. Will a black hole grow and eat earth, or worse, the universe? Will the colliding particles release so much energy that will it tap the inner core and send all volcanoes across the world exploding? No one really knows. Maybe it will just turn out the lights.

Read [NY Times] Image [Valerio Mezzanotti for The New York Times]

Keep up with the latest gadget goodness! - Subscribe to our feed →

The Dsus DS-400GB rear view camera is truly a thing of wonder - it looks like a standard rear view camera, but offers way much more functionality compared to the standard rear view mirror you get in your vehicle. Hailing all the way from the East (China), don’t be misled by the Dsus DS-400GB name given to the device. It is not an offshoot of Asus, and neither does it feature 400GB worth of storage space.

The Dsus DS-400GB itself comes with a video input that allows you to hook up a rear-mounted camera. This camera will kick in the moment the vehicle is put into reverse, switching from whatever current GPS information display to a live view of whatever’s located right behind your car. At last, you no longer need to rely on those reverse sensors when attempting to park and you will be able to park even in extremely tight spots without worrying about giving your car insurance agent a call due to a miscalculation.

Some of the specifications found on the Dsus DS-400GB include the following :-

• Samsung S3C2440A 400MHz processor
• Windows CE 4.2 operating system
• 4″ touch screen display at 480 x 272 resolution
• Rear view camera to prevent untoward accidents
• Bluetooth connectivity for hands free calling when driving
• Integrated speakers (a pair with each having 1 watt amplifiers)
• Audio and video playback
• SD memory card slot for expansion option
• SiRF Star III GPS chipset for navigation purposes

There is no word on how much RAM the Dsus DS-400GB comes with, and neither do we have any idea on just how much flash memory is available for your use before you augment it with an SD memory card. There is no word on pricing either, but I would say that this is a pretty handy device to have if you tend to back up into garbage bins and puppies. Just kidding about the latter

Source: Windows for Devices

Said to replace the Treo 700wx is the new Treo 800w. No official word yet from Sprint as this is a mere speculation as only a release chart has already been leaked.

July is reportedly the release date of the long awaited Treo 800w, but let’s hope Sprint releases it as soon as possible. Rumored features include EvDO Rev A, Wi-Fi, Windows Mobile 6.0 and A-GPS among others. Camera and non-camera versions of the Treo are expected to become available.

Looks like the Treo 800w will the dethrone the 700w as Treo’s flagship Pocket PC with Windows Mobile Professional. Still only a rumor, there is a big chance that this could be true as Palm’s Ed Colligan recently stated that the company will be releasing their new smartphone line up before the end of summer.

Via [gadgets on the go]

Keep up with the latest gadget goodness! - Subscribe to our feed →

To get the most out of podcasting, I needed to replace the over-sensitive, low-quality mic built-in to my computer. I asked some friends, conducted a little research, knocked up a list of acceptable models, then hit town.

It took a while find somewhere which sold anything good: Guitar Center, in Robinson, a suburb of Pittsburgh. When I walked in, it was nice to finally see some options, unlike the garbage at Best Buy and Circuit City. But it was not nice to be bamboozled by the staffer there, who told me three fibs.

1. That all the mics on my list were dynamic microphones, not condenser models. This was the opening gambit, but I was sure my list included condenser mics. I felt the cold chill of my bullshit detector spinning up.

2. That I won’t get a good non-USB condenser mic for less than $200.

3. That I wouldn’t be able to find a decent mic at all for less than $100. Ciao, Guitar Center.

Bear in mind that I was forward with my requirements — basic, entry-level podcasting, and nothing fancy or close to top quality. Some of the models on the list were nothing special — like the Behringer C-1 Studio Condenser — but I’m not going on tour, guys. I just need to record a friggin’ podcast.

And it’s the only nearby music store in the ‘burg open on Sunday. I’m tempted to go back and just get one of the models I wanted to begin with, but why should I reward it for trying to swindle me? Bah.

My shortlist follows (Please feel free to offer improved suggestions.)

Behringer C-1 Studio Condenser 

Stageworks CC12 (Condenser)

Samson C01U (Condenser)

Plantronics DSP 500 (Dynamic)

Shure SM-57 (Dynamic)

Let’s face the facts - the iPod doesn’t exactly come with the largest display in the world now, does it? Being a portable media player to boot, screen real estate is a very important criteria to consider if you plan to watch countless hours of video on it.

This is the portable DVD player that integrates with 5th Generation video iPods, allowing you to watch iPod videos on a 8 1/2″, 16:9 widescreen LCD that is 2 3/4 times larger than the iPods screen. Using active matrix technology, the LCD can redraw images faster than typical LCD monitors, resulting in a sharper, more detailed resolution. An iPod slides into the front of the video player and is protected by a clear plastic cover, and the dual headphone jacks allow two people to use the video player without disturbing fellow travelers. The device has an AV port for output to a television, charges an ipod while in use, and has an on-screen menu display for quick set up. Rechargeable battery allows three hours of continuous DVD playback on a five-hour charge; four hours of iPod® video playback. Includes AC and DC adapters, carrying case, headphones, remote control, and a strap for attaching to a car headrest. Supports DVD, VCD, CDs, MP3 CDs, and iPod® video/music files.

Hammacher is currently carrying this item for $269.95.

Binary Clock
The Binary Clock, the ultimate gizmo for people who laugh in the face of time, play tiddlywinks on the lap of destiny, and boil bratwurst in the kitchen of fate.

You can have this for £29.95

AT&T has introduced their new mobile TV service called the AT&T Mobile TV with FLO. The new service from the two companies will according to the press release, feature high quality live programming. MediaFLO, still yet to be launched, is expected to be available in May. AT&T Mobile TV will also be featuring two channels exclusive for this mobile service, aside from the top channels like Comedy Central, ESPN Mobile TV, Fox Mobile, NBC 2GO, CBS Mobile, Nickelodeon and NBC News2Go.

The only phones launched that will support MediaFLO will be the Samsung Access and LG Vu, both providing a clearer view of the TV as compared to other phones. This joint venture by FLO and AT&T plans on expanding the FLO TV service not only to AT&T subscribers but also to consumers in the US.

AT&T’s wireless unit’s vice president of Consumer Data, Mark Collins said in a statement:

“AT&T Mobile TV is a powerful new mobile entertainment offering, which will give our customers a formidable lineup of sports, news and primetime shows, including two channels exclusive available to AT&T customers.We are thrilled to team with MediaFLO USA to offer our customers an unmatched mobile entertainment experience that is changing the way we all look at TV.”

As of now, only the LG and Samsung phones support the new service but I am certain that it won’t be long until mobile TV becomes available to other phones and be included to their mobile TV line up.

Read [AT&T]

Keep up with the latest gadget goodness! - Subscribe to our feed →

LED Glow in the Duck
The ducks that light up in the bath - now how great is that?!

You can have this for ?6.99